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US Lawmakers Propose Minimum Seat Sizes For Airlines (consumerist.com)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the measures-about-measurements dept.

The size of each passenger's seat on an airplane -- as well as the distance between rows of seats -- should be standardized, according to legislation proposed by two American lawmakers. Slashdot reader AmiMoJo quotes Consumerist: The text of the bill does not specify any dimensions for seat widths or legroom. Rather, if the legislation is passed, the particulars would be left up to the FAA to sort out... Though seat size may vary from airline to airline, Cohen notes that the average distance between rows of seats has dropped from 35 inches before airline deregulation in the 1970s, to around 31 inches today. Your backside is getting the squeeze, as well, as the average width of an airline seat has also shrunk from 18 inches to about 16.5 inches.

2 of 266 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Alternative headline... by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 5, Informative

    Those fatties are NOT Republicans.

    Uh ... yes they are.

    The ten states with the highest obesity rates, and who they voted for in 2016:

    Louisiana - Trump
    Alabama - Trump
    Mississippi - Trump
    West Virginia - Trump
    Kentucky - Trump
    Arkansas - Trump
    Kansas - Trump
    Oklahoma - Trump
    Tennessee - Trump
    Missouri - Trump

    And here are the states with the lowest rates of obesity:

    Colorado - Hillary
    DC - Hillary
    Hawaii - Hillary
    Montana - Trump
    California - Hillary
    Massachusetts - Hillary
    Utah - Trump
    New York - Hillary
    Vermont - Hillary
    Connecticut - Hillary

  2. More Seats = More Time to Evacuate by SCUBA+Instructor · · Score: 3, Informative

    Hi, Certification for emergency evacuation requires a test of real people evacuating in less than a specified amount of time. These tests are done with all airline employees as passengers, all physically fit, all alert, all expecting the drill to occur, and with no luggage. More seats means more less-physically fit passengers, clueless and sleepy passengers, kids, handicapped pax, and lots and lots of luggage and obstructions. Make safety the number 1 reason for seat minimums.